She’s not shy to admit that she’s new to cosplaying, but what Julia lacks in experience she makes up for with enthusiasm and determination. It’s her feisty spirit that made us choose her as our newest cosplay model. Presenting Julia in her first-ever online feature for arkadymac.com. Lending his skills for this feature is photographer Christopher Prince Mortell of CLICK Concept Photography. Additional images by arkadymac.
As a big fan of the hit anime series Kill la Kill, Julia insisted on cosplaying the heroine, RyukoMatoi, for this feature. “Ryuko inspires me with her iron-hard will to avenge her father,” she tells us. “She has proven that with love, one can grow in strength to save, protect, or avenge their love ones.Others may view her as a rough and chaotic woman, but for me she is the symbol of how love makes impossible things possible.”
Although she had all the enthusiasm to cosplay her, Julia admits it was quite a challenge. “Even though we share some traits, I am not as rough-looking as she is. Also, it was quite a feat to look for, assemble, fashion and customize everything needed in bringing her to life.”
It was only last year when Julia discovered cosplaying. “I got into it when a friend of mine introduced the cosplay world to me and invited me to attend a convention last May 2013,” she says. “As far as I can remember, since I was a newbie cosplayer that time, I’ve costripped as a maid girl. I cosplayed Luka Megurine Sandplay Version, my first cosplay character, at a major event last year.”
And why does Julia continue to cosplay? “I cosplay to express the things I really love,” she shares, ” to make my favorite fictional characters came into life, and to inspire little kids.” She has one particular fond memory of cosplaying. “I met this kid who was excited to meet me, took a picture with me and kept calling me not by my real name, but of the character’s name that I had been cosplaying.”
For the most part, Julia describes herself to be a simple person who wants to share happiness with other people. Outside of cosplay, she tells us she has many varied pursuits. “I am a frustrated singer,” she says with a laugh. “I love reading books and stories from wattpad, preferably those from sci-fi, teen fiction and fantasy genres.” She loves rewatching her favorite anime series like Kill la Kill, Soul Eater, and Sword Art Online. She says she also plays Crossfire, Counter Strike, and DOTA 2 whenever she has the time.
Cosplaying has become a part of Julia’s life, and she says it’s always challenging for her. “I always need to consider the source material and the need to resemble the character I am cosplaying.” “However,” she points out, “I find the process fun as well. I feel the need to portray not only the appearance, but the personality which the character possesses as well. Behind my cosplaying are values gained each and every time such as patience in making the cosplay as faithful possible. I feel like I can only stop from cosplaying when I feel satisfied with my work and what have I done for the cosplay community.
Of her photographer for this feature, Julia has this to say: “Sir Chris Mortell of CLICK Concept Photography is one of the most talented and most awesome photographers I’ve ever met. To Sir Chris, DOMO ARIGATOU. Thank you so much for giving me an opportunity to have a photoshoot session with you. Thank you for sharing your talents with cosplayers like me. Your photography skills are so amazing, making me almost look like Matoi Ryuko. Thank you so much.
And to our readers, Julia has something to say. “I want to thank my family for giving me full support, time and effort in cosplaying . I want to thank my friends, photographers, and my fellow cosplayers who didn’t make me feel like a loner at events. To the readers, I would like to say that it takes courage to grow up and become who you really are. Explore, experience, make friends, be content and have fun with your life!
We look forward to great things from Julia, and we hope you can support her in her future endeavors. Expect us to have her here again soon.
Thank you for dropping by, and do visit us again for more cosplay features here at arkadymac.com
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